An integrated look at forms of address in Chilean Spanish using a contextualized picture-translation task

Abstract

This study uses an innovative contextualized translation task method and a quantitative variationist approach to offer an integrated look at second person singular address forms in Chilean Spanish, a Latin American variety with a tripartite address system that includes tuteo, ustedeo, and voseo forms. Results reveal that ustedeo has remained largely unaffected by recent changes in Chile’s address system and that this system’s main alternation is between tuteo and voseo, which function as competing variants. Results also provide further evidence that the documented shift towards a preference for voseo forms over tuteo forms in familiar address is led by members of the younger generation, especially men, and has the Central Region of the country as its epicenter. Finally, results suggest that, notwithstanding the shift from tuteo to voseo, the latter is unlikely to completely oust the former from Chile’s address system due to both linguistic and social reasons.